Jokowi calls for more patriotic content on television

Indonesian President Joko Widodo addresses members of parliament in Jakarta, Indonesia August 14, 2015.

PHOTO: Reuters

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo called on Friday for more patriotic content to be aired on national television channels.

Jokowi conveyed the request during a meeting with several television directors at the State Palace on Friday.

"It's okay to have entertainment, like singing, but sometimes have national marches sung, like Berkibarlah Benderaku [Fly, my flag] or Garuda Pancasila, why not?" he said, as quoted by kompas.com.

Jokowi said that he made the request after identifying a lack of educational and national content on national television.

Television, Jokowi said, played a strategic part in the country's moral development. He hoped that more TV programs would provide material that could motivate people to increase their work productivity.

"Television can safeguard the nation's morality. This responsibility does not fall only on the government but also TV programmers," he said.